Q; far removed from leverguns

[2571]

I've got an ATV stranded 9 miles from Gundig 'Gai. I have fashioned a device to winch it aboard my Dodge Ram, using the front stake hole pockets and a come-along.

Why are the pocket holes such an odd size? 2x4 and 2x2 lumber will not fit; 2x2 steel tubing is the wrong size.

Surely the pocket holes are made to a standard, but for what?

I can't sleep at night. Can anyone solve this mystery for me?

thx

[AJMD429]

One of many of those pain-in-the-butt non-standard things that has become, well, 'standard'...

[wecsoger]

I'll bet the answer involves Henry Ford and some odd piece of wood or metal he was able to get free from a parts supplier.

Seriously, no idea. And I've never thought to measure.

But after this, I /will/ be watching for an answer. I'm curious now too.

[Pop Watts]

So if you are 9 miles from Gundagai that would make you about 45 miles from Wagga Wagga.
Hang tight I can be there in about 4 hours to pull you out.
Pop.

[K1500]

Perhaps they are an odd size so that a guy doesn't get the idea to jam a 2x4 into one and use it as a winch point for a 4-wheeler.

Actually, I have no idea why.

[gamekeeper]

So if you are 9 miles from Gundagai that would make you about 45 miles from Wagga Wagga.
Hang tight I can be there in about 4 hours to pull you out.
Pop.

[Old Ironsights]

I'll bet the answer involves Henry Ford and some odd piece of wood or metal he was able to get free from a parts supplier.

Seriously, no idea. And I've never thought to measure.

But after this, I /will/ be watching for an answer. I'm curious now too.

Here’s my SWAG:

Stakes were first/primarily used on flatbeds.

A common size for heavy duty Rectangular Tubing is 2x3 with .25 walls – which makes a (slightly less than) 1-1/2 x 2-1/2 ID for the stakes… which, oddly enough, is the measurement for 2x3 dimensional lumber. (IIRC current Stake Pockets are sized 1-1/2 x 2-1/4 or thereabouts.)

When Pickup designers wanted to add stake pockets, they designed them to use the commonly available stakes, which were based on the ID of the Heavy Rectangular Tubing that had been used by flatbed designers.

[Chuck 100 yd]

Henry Ford is the answer.
The blanks used to make the spokes for Model T wheels were the first stakes. After Steel spoked wheels started in production they had thousands of those blanks left over to use up so the first stake pockets were sized to fit them and they never changed the size after that.
This info came from my old boss who passed back in the 60`s. I think it is as good an answer as any. weather correct or not!

[Old Ironsights]

It's as good a story as any. And yep, it's incorrect.

Model T wooden spokes have a Billet size of:
1.750" x 1.250" x 8.875"
Length from hub end to shoulder of tennon 8.250"
Tennon dia .531-.547"
Taper for hub 15 degrees.

Not quite 2.25x1.5... and an 8" stake wouldn't be very useful...

[Old Savage]

Chuck, it is hard to tell if the weather is correct or not. We are having a drought.

[Chuck 100 yd]

OS , That`s one of those words I often mix up.
What Wheather Whuz ya spectin??

[2571]

So if you are 9 miles from Gundagai that would make you about 45 miles from Wagga Wagga.
Hang tight I can be there in about 4 hours to pull you out.
Pop.

Gotta admit I indeed laughed out loud @ Pop's comment. Not a lot of folk here know anything about Gundagai, let alone what a tucker box is.

Really cool laughing at a joke about something I said with guys on the far side of the world.

[Sixgun]

You don't want to winch from there. Use your front frame hooks or a large d ring/hook from the rear trailer hitch.

If the truck is a beater, just measure the holes and cut down a 2 x 4 on a table saw-----------6

[m.wun]

Maybe you have one of those metric trucks!!!

[2571]

Maybe you have one of those metric trucks!!!

A pox on you. I live in Detroit.